Pillow fort

FanOfMost asked for a oneshot of Emma babysitting Neal in the loft. When Snowing come home they're both cuddled up asleep in a big fort in the living room with all the pillows and blankets.

"Please don't cry bud." Emma pleaded with her baby brother as she bounced him up and down on her hip. Still, little Neal wailed on. Snow and Charming rarely got an evening to themselves that was baby free. Emma frequently offered to babysit her little brother, but they mostly politely declined. Emma understood their reluctance to leave Neal alone. After all, they didn't have much luck as a family when it came to sticking together. So when her parents asked Emma to look after Neal that Saturday so they could go to dinner and a movie together, Emma knew they really must need a break. She happily accepted. She loved spending time with her baby bro. Neal, however, wasn't as happy without his mommy and daddy. Much like them, he wasn't used to the separation. He loved his big sissy very much, but she wasn't mommy or daddy. Emma was doing everything she could think of to distract him, or at least tire him out. Neal was having none of it. She was running out of ideas from her arsenal of fake memories of raising Henry to use on Neal. There was really only one left: building a fort.

"Come on champ." Emma said over the sound of his screams. "I've got something fun to do." With Neal still settled on her hip, Emma set about moving the furniture to create a steady scaffolding. Sure, she could have just used her magic, but where would the fun in that be? Some things just had to be done manually. Emma then went to the cupboard under the stairs and pulled out all the spare blankets and pillows the family had to offer. Midway through Emma draping the blankets over the furniture, Neal began to stop crying and become curious. Emma chuckled. "Ah, I see this has caught your attention, huh bud?" Emma cooed to him.

Neal continued to watch as Emma set up the fort, scattering the pillows and cushions underneath to create a comfortable place for them both to lie on. As a finishing touch, Emma took some of the fairy lights out of the Christmas decorations box and put them on top so that they shone through. With the main light off, the whole thing looked rather magical. Neal ooed and ahhed up at the pretty twinkling lights on the makeshift ceiling. Emma smiled at the wonder in his eyes. She remembered (well, kind of) Henry when he was like this in pillow forts too.

"It's nice, isn't it squirt?" Emma asked her baby brother, wrapping him up in a blanket with her. "It's like we're looking up at the stars camping, but without being freezing cold or having to pee in a bucket. Emma settled back on the pillows with Neal in her arms. She too just enjoyed looking up at the fairy lights dance around the blanket, creating interesting shadows.

A few hours later, Snow and Charming returned home. They expected to find Neal tucked up in his crib with Emma quietly watching TV or reading a book. It was only half past eleven, after all. Emma was normally a night owl. So when the couple found both of their children cuddled up in their pillow fort, it melted their hearts. They knew Emma and Neal wouldn't have many opportunities to do typical sibling bonding activities together, so it warmed both of them when they did get a chance.

"Do we wake them up?" Snow whispered to her husband. Charming, still looking down at both of them, smiled as he shook his head.

"Nah, they look comfortable enough." He turned off the fairy lights and took Snow by the hand, leading her off to their bedroom to let their babies sleep.